The economic calendar in the U.S. Thursday includes the ADP employment report at 8:15 a.m. EDT and weekly jobless claims at 8:30 a.m. In addition, ISM manufacturing data is due at 10 a.m., as is the Conference Board's monthly Consumer Confidence Index.

U.S. stocks finished mixed Wednesday in the first full day of trading since Hurricane Sandy forced a historic two-day shutdown of major U.S. markets.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 11 points, or 0.08%, to close at 13,096 on its first day of trading since Oct. 26.

The S&P 500 added less than 1 point, or 0.02%, to 1412. The Nasdaq dipped 11 points, or 0.36%, to finish at 2977.

Exxon Mobil ( XOM), the oil giant, is expected by analysts Thursday to report third-quarter earnings of $1.96 a share on revenue of $112.4 billion.